Bonds Homers Again as the Giants Close In

Barry Bonds’ latest surge might wind up being his ticket to another season in San Francisco. He is certainly making a case for the Giants to keep him around in 2007.

Bonds hit his 731st home run, Mark Sweeney drove in Ray Durham with a fielder’s choice in the 11th inning and the Giants gained another game on San Diego in the NL wild-card race with a 5-4 victory over the Padres on Saturday.

Bonds hit a two-run shot over the wall in right-center off San Diego’s David Wells with two out in the first inning. Bonds’ 23rd homer this season and sixth in nine games traveled an estimated 430 feet, giving the Giants a 2-0 lead.

Jason Schmidt struck out 10 and Moises Alou and Todd Greene each hit RBI singles in the fourth for the Giants, who trail the Padres by 1 1/2 games for the wild card. San Francisco won for the sixth time in seven games.

Rudy Seanez (1-1) retired Bonds on a flyout leading off the 11th before Durham tripled. Alou and Pedro Feliz were intentionally walked to load the bases for Sweeney, whose grounder ended the game.